We've asked our students to come up with reviews of their favorite (or not-so-favorite) firearms, and will be showcasing these reviews in our "Gun Of The Month" segment. If you would like to submit a review, send it to admissions@sdi.edu.
This month's author is recent graduate Ivan Vila. Ivan enrolled in our Gunsmithing Certificate program in January of 2012 and graduated in August of 2012. For more information on SDI's Gunsmithing Certificate program, please visit www.sdi.edu.
Ivan Vila's Handgun of the Month - The Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm
When SMITH & WESSON introduced the M&P service autos, they found a 21st century
pistol that did justice to its legendary namesake. The new pistol found an immediate
following with the law enforcement community and the shooting public. The M&P also
found a following with competition shooters. By 2011, several of the nation's top
action shooters and IDPA competitors were running the M&P and winning matches.
Opening the standard hard case, the first thing I noticed was the extended slide.
The M&P has a 4-inch slide. The slide has a Hi-Power style bevel on the front and a
relief cut that runs from in front of the cocking serrations to the muzzle. This
combination gives the M&P9 a sleek and balanced appearance.
The M&P series is the culmination of a great deal of research, combined with S&W's
years of experience. The M&P has a Zytel polymer frame that features a removable
backstrap, called Palmswells. Each M&P comes with three different sized backstraps
to accommodate the individual user's hand size. The backstrap and frontstrap are
softly stippled to provide a positive purchase. This is not only attractive but
provides a more comfortable grip than the traditional "grenade" style checkering.
The rear of the frame has a broad beavertail that is similar to a 1911 and allows
for a very high purchase on the pistol. I was pleased to see that the M&P lacks the
squared off triggerguard of other service pistols.
The slide stop/release is ambidextrous but extremely low profile and lends itself to
the slingshot method of dropping the slide during reloads. In keeping with the
ambidextrous features, the magazine release is a traditional single-side design that
can be reversed for left-handed shooters. A stainless steel chassis is set in the
frame and provides a solid foundation for all four rails for the slide bearing
surfaces. The design also prevents the frame from flexing and, should it become
necessary, is easily replaceable. As with all modern service pistols, the dust cover
is equipped with the obligatory accessory rail with three locking grooves.
The cocking serrations at the rear of the slide can be best described as scales.
They provide a solid gripping surface without being abrasive to clothing and gear.
The M&P sits very low in the hand and has a grip-to-bore angle that is similar to a
1911. Two 17-round magazines are included with each 9mm pistol.
Range Time
On the range, the 9mm was well mannered, especially when compared to my stock M&P
.357 sig. While I was not able to shoot any benchrest groups, single ragged holes
were the norm from normal engagement ranges. During several drills, I was able to
maintain 0.17 of a second splits between shots while keeping all the shots in the
"A" zone from 7 yards. The long slide tamed even the hottest 9mm loads and the fiber
optic front sight was easy to follow during recoil.
Should you be in the market for a duty pistol, or just a great shooting 9mm auto,
the M&P Pro 9 deserves serious consideration.
